battle of stirling bridge

In 1298, Robert succeeded Wallace as one of the Guardians of Scotland. In 1296 King Edward I of England deposed and imprisoned the Scottish king John de Balliol and declared himself ruler of Scotland. Edward is … The Battle of Stirling Bridge (Scottish Gaelic: Blàr Drochaid Shruighlea) was a battle of the First War of Scottish Independence. Falkirk, 1298. Earl of Surrey, Govenor in Scotland for Edward I of England, and spearhead of his imperial ambitions north of the border, he is confident of victory, whether by battle or negotiation. The most spectacular victory of William Wallace, the Scottish leader depicted in Braveheart (1995), it proved to the embattled Scots that they … He is advised to send a cavalry force upstream to The Ford of Drip in order to cover the infantry's crossing, however Edward's treasurer, Hugh de Cressingham, intervenes, pointing out that too much of the king's money has already been wasted and insisting that they cross at once to bring the campaign to a swift end. While you will be able to view the content of this page in your current browser, you will not be able to get the full visual experience. The English king, however, was quickly disabused of this idea when Balliol refused to join him on campaign in France and, in 1295, signed an alliance with France, England’s traditional enemy. Be on the lookout for your Britannica newsletter to get trusted stories delivered right to your inbox. BBC © 2014 The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Two Dominican friars are sent to Wallace to acquire his surrender and return shortly afterwards with William Wallace's first recorded speech: "Tell your commander that we are not here to make peace but to do battle, defend ourselves and liberate our kingdom. The present Stirling Old Bridge was built in the 1400s or 1500s, replacing a succession of timber bridges. After the Battle of Stirling Bridge in 1297 William Wallace used the skin of a dead English Lord to make himself a belt and a sword holder. Although vastly outnumbered, the Scottish army routed the English army. BBC Scotland Learning - The Wars of Independence, Undiscovered Scotland's account of William Wallace. He is surprised by their refusal to surrender and on the 11th September decides to force the crossing. Over half the English army is left to its fate on the Scots side of the river. However, the slant of the documentary is Braveheart-like. Please consider upgrading your browser software or enabling style sheets (CSS) if you are able to do so. This contribution has not yet been formally edited by Britannica. At the end of the causeway stood the bridge (lying 180 yards upstream from the 15th century stone that still crosses the river today). William Wallace's greatest triumph was his rout of an English army at the Battle of Stirling Bridge near Stirling Castle in central Scotland on 11 September 1297. On September 11, 1297, the forces of Andrew … Wallace and Murray wait until more than half the English army has crossed the bridge before springing their trap. In the frenzy to retreat back over the bridge, the whole thing collapse in the River Forth. Omissions? John de Warenne marches north with a huge force of cavalry and infantry. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. This documentary does a good job of setting the stage of Stirling Bridge, beginning with the death of Scottish King Alexander III in 1286 and spends 26 minute before getting to the battle. Battle of Stirling Bridge. Battle of Stirling Bridge, (11 September 1297). The death of the seven-year-old Scottish queen, Margaret, in 1290 left the throne of Scotland vacant. On 11 September 1297, an outnumbered Scottish army defeated the English at the Battle of Stirling Bridge. Armies & Commanders Unlike the depiction in Braveheart (1995), the Battle of Stirling Bridge was fought near a wooden bridge, and not in an open field. BBC Scotland's History - The Battle of Stirling Bridge BATTLE OF STIRLING BRIDGE (1297) The first major defeat of the English in the Wars of Scottish Independence, the Battle of Stirling Bridge afforded Sir William Wallace the opportunity to prove his military credentials and obtain significant political power. The English Commanders. The smaller Scottish army, led by Wallace and Andrew de Moray, took advantage of their position up on a slope and hurled spears and other missiles down onto the advancing English knights. There is a hole in the wall of the Douglas Gardens that is reputed to have been made so a young Mary Queen of Scots could look at the view. The Scots had not defeated a major English army since the Dark Ages, but this victory seems to have strengthened their will to resist Edward I. Cross the bridge, the largest in Scotland when it was built nearly 500 years ago. Shortly afterwards, Bruce family lands were sacked by Edward's troops in retaliation for the family's role in the rebellion. The Adobe Flash player and Javascript are required in order to view a video which appears on this page. By signing up for this email, you are agreeing to news, offers, and information from Encyclopaedia Britannica. It is the high point of the campaign of William Wallace and Andrew Moray on behalf of the exiled John Balliol, and leads to Wallace's appointment as Guardian of the Realm of Scotland. His victory here led to almost all of Scotland briefly coming under his control. This page is best viewed in an up-to-date web browser with style sheets (CSS) enabled. Après la victoire écossaise lors de la bataille du pont de Stirling en 1297, Robert et son fils, John de Clavering, furent capturés. Near Stirling Castle he arrives at a narrow, wooden bridge which crosses The River Forth. The later Stirling Bridge. Many of them are Welsh, but among them is Hugh de Cressingham, Edward's hated tax collector, who had crossed first. Again they cross the bridge and again they are recalled: as Warenne believes the Scots might finally negotiate. With the failure of the House of Canmore in Scotland, Edward I of England supported the installation of John Balliol as a vassal king of Scotland. He dies two months later and is buried at Fortrose Cathedral on Black Isle, north of Inverness. The golden glow of success was not destined to shine long, however. Articles such as this one were acquired and published with the primary aim of expanding the information on Britannica.com with greater speed and efficiency than has traditionally been possible. Hence in the year one thousand three hundred less three time one the Scots vanquished the English, whom they put into mourning for death, as the bridge bears witness, where the great battle is recorded, which lies beyond Stirling on the River Forth." MORE FROM SCOTLAND MAGAZINE. In the meantime, more information about the article and the author can be found by clicking on the author’s name. Although these articles may currently differ in style from others on the site, they allow us to provide wider coverage of topics sought by our readers, through a diverse range of trusted voices. The Scots spearmen rush down the causeway. Wallace was the second son of Sir Malcolm Wallace of Elderslie in Renfrewshire.The elder Wallace was a minor landowner and a vassal of James, 5th steward of Scotland. The Battle of Stirling Bridge was one of the series of conflicts of the Wars of Scottish Independence. On 11 September 1297, the forces of Andrew Moray and William Wallace defeated the combined English forces of John de Warenne, 6th Earl of Surrey , and Hugh de Cressingham near Stirling , on the River Forth . The kings of England repeatedly sought to extend their rule north of the border into Scotland . The death of the Scottish queen in 1290 gave Edward I of England the chance to take over the country, but his intentions were dashed with a major defeat at the hands of William Wallace. It was wide enough to pass with only two horsemen abreast and the entire English army would have taken several hours to cross, after which they would have to enter a confined narrow loop in the river, leaving their flank dangerously exposed to attack. Only five years later a host of French knights were to go down to similarly-armed Flemish townsmen at The Battle of Courtrai. Those that can swim do so, the rest (over 100 men-at-arms and 5,000 infantry) are inevitably massacred. Map of the Battle of Stirling Bridge On the other side of the Stirling Bridge, watching a third of his army being killed, Warenne ordered its destruction, leaving the survivors on the far bank to their fate. The kings of England repeatedly sought to extend their rule north of the border into Scotland. This situation left him with no troops to send north against the Scots. Get a Britannica Premium subscription and gain access to exclusive content. Let them come on, and we shall prove this in their very beards.". Historic Events. Guardian of Scotland. Questions or concerns? Battle of Stirling Bridge, (11 September 1297). The Open University has produced a free booklet of postcards about Scottish history. The Battle of Stirling Begins Among the many victories Wallace won, that at Stirling Bridge, on September 11th, 1297, is remarkable. At dawn the English and Welsh infantry start to cross only to be recalled due to the fact that their leader, Warenne, has overslept. Let us know. The Battle of Stirling Bridge was therefore the forerunner to Bruce’s great victory at the Battle of Bannockburn, in which he would go on to earn his place as monarch of an independent Scotland. This page has been archived and is no longer updated. Click on the image to view a larger version. Those English soldiers yet to cross the bridge fled the scene, ceding victory to William Wallace and the Scots. 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